Traction-engine



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Patented Deo. 17, 1889.

N VEN TOR By A TTOHNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

ALBERT I. HART, oE c EoMwELL, INDIANA.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,419, dated December 17, 1889. Application iiledAngust 26, 1889. Serial No. 321,964. (No model.)

To all whom may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. HART, of Cromwell, in the county of Noble and State of Indiana, have invented a new and vImproved Traction-Engine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to traction-engines; and its object is to provide a suitable mechanism for balancing the machine, at the same time gearing the four independent wheels with each other.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication,

in which similar letters of reference indicate' axle.

The traction-engine A is provided with the usual boiler B, and the engine C, connected by its main driving-shaft D with a transversely-extending shaft E by a belt and pul- V leys or by sprocket-Wheels and a chain, as is plainly shown in Fig. 1. The drive-shaft D imparts, by an intermediate mechanism, hereinafter more fully described, motion to the front wheels F and F' and the rear wheels G and G' of the traction-engine. The front Wheels F and F' are secured on the outer ends of the shafts H and H', respectively, eX- tending in line with each other, and mounted to turn on suitable bearings formed on the front axle-tree I, supported on the universal joint J. Thejoint J is formed by providing the axle-tree I at the top and bottom with trunnions J', on which is mounted to swing horizontally a frame J2, provided on one side with a hub J 3, journaled in a hanger B', se-

cured to the under side of the boiler B. On the opposite side of the frame J2, and inline with the hub J 2, is formed a trunnion J mounted to turn in a hanger B2, secured to of the boiler B.

At the adjoining inner ends of the axles H and H' is mounted to turn loosely a gearwheel K, carrying in its web radial studs or shafts K2, on which are mounted to turn the bevel gear-wheels K', preferably three in number, as shown in Fig. 5. (See, also, Fig. 3.) The gear-wheels K mesh at opposite sides into the bevel gear-Wheels H2 and H3, secured on the axles H and II', respectively.

Then the drive-Wheels F and F are in their normal position, as shown in Fig. l, and motion is given to the gear-wheel K, the latter transmits its motion by the gear-wheels K' to the gear-Wheels H2 and H3 on the axles H and H', so that the latter are rotated simultaneously, turning the Wheels F and F. When the axle-tree I is shifted by the steering mechanism so that one of the Wheels F or F' remains stationary for a short time, then the other wheel F' or F is still turned by the wheel K, as the bevel gear-wheels K' roll Oifon the gear-Wheel H2 or H2, the axle of the said Wheel remaining stationary, while the gear-Wheels K' drive the moving axle with increased speed. The mechanism above described, and shown in Figs. 3 and 5, thus permits of driving one of the front wheels F or F', while the Aother remains stationary or is turned backward.`

The gear-wheel K meshes into a gear-wheel L, secured on a transverse shaft L', mounted to turn in suitable bearings formed in the brackets J 5, exten ding from the frame J 2. On the shaft L' is secured a bevel gear-wheel L2, which meshes into a bevel gear-wheel fastened on one end of a shaft N, mounted to turn in the hub J 2 of the frame J2, previously mentioned.

In line with the shaft N is a shaft N', abutting against the said shaft N, vwhich latter is connected with the said shaft N by a mechanism similar to` the one shown in Fig. 3- that is, two bevel gear-Wheels are secured at the adjoining ends of the shafts N and N', and mesh in a series of bevel gear-wheels arranged in the web lof the gear-wheel O, similar to the gear-wheel K. (Shown in Fig. 3.)

ICO

.The gear-wheel O meshes into a pinion O',

secured on a longitudinally-extending short shaft O2, mounted to turn in suitable bearings arranged in the hanger Bi", which latter is secured to the under side of the boiler B and also forms a bearing for the shaft N. On the shaft. O2 is Secured a bevel gear-wheel O3, which meshes into a bevel gear-wheel O4, secured 011 the driving-shaft E. On the shaft N' is secured a gear-wheel N2, which meshes into an intermediate gear-wheel Ni", mounted to turn on the stud B, projecting from the boiler B. rlhe intermediate gear-wheel meshes into a gear-wheel N", secured on one end of a shaft N5, mounted to turn in suitable bearings on one side of the tire-box of the boiler B. On this shaft N5 is secureda bevel gear-wheel N, meshing into a bevel gearwheel NT, secured on a shaft NS, extending transversely and mounted to turn in suitable bearings on one side of the fire-box of the boiler 13. On the shaft N8 is secured a pinion N, which meshes into a gear-wheel?, similar in construction to the gear-wheels K and O, previously described, and provided in its web with a series of bevel gear-wheels meshing at opposite sides into gear-wheels secured on the axles Q and Q', arranged in line with each other and carrying the rear wheels G and G'.

The axle-tree I is pivotally connected at opposite sides of its fulcrum with the rods R R, connected with each other bya chain R', passing' over the steering-pulley S, secured on the usual steering-shaft T, arranged on the rear end of the boiler B and carrying a hand-wheel U for convenientlyturning the steering-wheel Sto change the position of the axle-tree l, and consequently the position of the wheels F and F', in order to turn around a curve.

The teeth of the gear-wheel K are somewhat rounded olf, so that when the position of the axle-tree I is changed by the steering apparatus said gear-wheel K does not get out of mesh with the gear-wheel L, as is plainly shown in Fig. i.

The operation is as follows: \\'hen the engine C is set in motion, its shaft D imparts a rotary motion to the driving-shaft E, which, by its connection with the shaft O2, turns the pinion O', turning the gear-wheel O, which latter, by its bevel gear-wheels, rotates the shafts N and N', respectively. The shaft N imparts a rotary motion to the shaft L' and the gear-,wheel L, so that the lat-ter turns thc gear-wheel K, which imparts a rotary motion tothe axles H and lvl', as previously described. The shaft N transmits its rotary motion by the gear-wheels N2, N3, and N1 to the shaft N, which turns the shaft N 3, carrying the gearwheel N0, and the latter turns the gear-wheel P, turning the axles Q and Q', supporting the rear wheels G and G'. The wheel I transmits its motion to the two axles Q and Q' as long as there is no undue friction on the wheels G and G'; but in ease one of the latter meets with an obstruction it may remain stationary, while the other is still turned by the gear-wheel P in the same manner as previously described in reference to the front wheels l and If". In the same manner the gear-wheel t) may transmit motion only to the shaft N, while the other shaftN' remains stationary, and vice versa. This arrangement permits of turningl the four wheels F F' and G G forward at the same time, but it also permits any one of the wheels to remain stationary while the other is turning, or even to move backward while the others turn forward.

It is understood that as the front axles ll and Il' are mounted to turn in the axle-tree l, which is a universal joint, all undue strain is taken olf of the front wheels in case they travel over uneven ground. Thus it will be seen that all the wheels run independently of each other, and the wheel which has the farthest distance to go in turning pulls with the same power as the wheel that has to travel the shortest distance.

As the weight of the traction-engine is equally distributed on all four wheels, the machine will go easily over soft mud and through sand, and it will turn around in the same very easily.

It will be understood that the herein-described drivingmechanism and running-gear may be applied to other machines or vehicles than traction-engines.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination, with the vertical longitudinally-extending frame J2, having a trunnion JV1 at its front end, a hub J3, and inwardly-extending brackets J at its rear end, and the bearings B B2 in which said hub and trunnion rock, of the axle-tree I, passed transversely through the frame and connected at its upper and lower sides therewith by vertical pivots J 'J ,the axles lI Il', mounted in bearings between the upper and lower sides of the axle-tree at the front thereof and connected by the compensating gear K, the transverse shaft L', mounted in said brackets and provided with a pinion L, meshing into gear K and a bevel-gear L2, and the drivingshaft N, extending through the hub J,and provided with a bevel-gear L3, meshing into bevel-gear L2, substantially as set forth.

2. In a traction-engine, the combination, with a drive-shaft, of two shafts operated from the said drive-shaft and placed in line with each other, two independent front axles operated from one of the said two shafts, and two independent rear axles operated by the other of the said twoshaf ts, substantially as shown and described.

In a traction-engine, the combination, with a drive-shaft, of two shafts operated from the said drive-shaft and placed in line with each other, two independent front axles operated from one of the said two shafts, two independent rear axles operated by the other IOO IZO

of' the said two shafts, and an axle-tree on which the said front axles are mounted to turn, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a traction-engine, the combination, with a drive-shaft, of two shafts operated from the said drive-shaft and placed in line with each other, two independent frontaxles operated from one of the said two shafts, two independent rear axles operated by the other of the said two shafts, an axle-tree on which the said front axles are mounted, and a universal joint forconnectingthe said axle' tree with the front end of the boiler, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a traction-engine, the combination, 

